NEW YORK, July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- FreshDirect, a leading online fresh food grocer, announced today that it has named Larry Scott Blackmon Vice President, Community and Government Affairs. In this role, Blackmon will lead the company's community and governmental interactions, expanding current partnerships and cultivating new relationships. He will report to Mike Brizel, Executive Vice President & General Counsel.

"As FreshDirect continues to grow in the New York marketplace and beyond, it is important that we deepen and strengthen our relationships in the communities we serve, and Larry is the right person to lead this effort," said Brizel. "In particular, as we begin the process of moving to our new location in the Bronx, Larry will be focused on expanding our involvement in the borough that we are excited to soon call our home."

Blackmon's work will build on FreshDirect's existing community and charitable partnerships across a variety of issues including fighting hunger, nutrition education and career development. Current partners include Food Bank for New York City, City Harvest, Philabundance, RED, Food Fight, Drills Build Skills, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations and Fedcap, among many others.

"FreshDirect is committed to being a great community partner, and has already taken important steps to develop meaningful relationships in the areas it serves," said Blackmon. "I look forward to joining the company at this exciting time of growth and working closely with local officials and organizations to develop new opportunities to give back, get involved, and forge even deeper relationships in the communities we serve."

Blackmon brings over 15 years of public service, community development and government experience to FreshDirect. He joins from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation where he served as the Deputy Commissioner for Community Outreach. 

Prior to the Parks Department, Blackmon served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Commissioner for Intergovernmental Affairs at New York City Department of Small Business Services. He also worked for the New York Jets of the National Football League where he served as the Senior Manager for Public Affairs.

Blackmon has worked with a number of New York City's elected officials, including serving in the administration of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.  Additionally, Blackmon has worked with former Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields, former City Council Speakers Christine Quinn and Gifford Miller and former City Council Member Kathryn Freed. He has also worked with many federal and state representatives, including U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Congressman Charles Rangel, U.S. Congressman Gregory Meeks and New York State Assembly Member and State Democratic Party Co-Chair Keith L.T. Wright.

About FreshDirect
FreshDirect is a leading online fresh food grocer in the U.S., delivering premium quality fresh-from-the-farm foods and brand-name groceries directly to the doors of customers in the greater New York, New Jersey, Connecticut metro areas and greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, including Delaware. With unique relationships with suppliers and farmers around the world, FreshDirect focuses on providing customers with the best-tasting, freshest, top quality foods and meals. Additionally, FreshDirect's research, development and production facility creates and innovates the more than one thousand unique meals and baked goods produced in house daily by a team of chefs. FreshDirect aspires to be a valued corporate partner in all communities in which it serves, and works extensively with multiple charitable and community partners.

For more information, visit www.freshdirect.com. Follow FreshDirect on Twitter: @freshdirect, Facebook: facebook.com/FreshDirect, and Instagram.

Larry Scott Blackmon Bio

Larry Scott Blackmon is Vice President, Community and Government Affairs at FreshDirect. He joined FreshDirect from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, where he served as the Deputy Commissioner for Community Outreach.  In that role, Blackmon focused on the oversight of Partnerships for Parks, a joint program of the City Parks Foundation and the Parks Department. He also supervised Parks' Government Relations division, Arts & Antiquities, the Parks' Citywide Services division, special events at the Arsenal, as well as the GreenThumb division, which supports the operations of more than 600 community gardens throughout New York City. Blackmon also managed the Parks Department's relationship with NYC Service, focused on expanding volunteer recruitment efforts.

Prior to the Parks Department, Blackmon served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Commissioner for Intergovernmental Affairs at New York City Department of Small Business Services. Previously, he worked for the New York Jets of the National Football League where he served as the Senior Manager for Public Affairs.

Blackmon has held advisory positions with a large number of New York City's elected officials. He served as Senior Campaign Advisor to former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff to former City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, Deputy State Director in the Office of U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, as well as Deputy Campaign Manager and Political Director for former City Council Member Kathryn Freed.

He has also worked with former Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields and former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, as well as many federal and state representatives such as U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Congressman Charles Rangel, U.S. Congressman Gregory Meeks and New York State Assembly Member and State Democratic Party Co-Chair Keith L.T. Wright.

A graduate of the Coro Leadership New York program, Blackmon is a member of both the Pi Alpha Alpha National Honor Society and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.  He was recognized as one of the "40 under 40" people to watch in both City and State News and the Network Journal publication.  Having earned a B.A. from the State University of New York College at New Paltz, Blackmon received a Masters in Public Administration from Metropolitan College of New York where he currently serves as an adjunct professor teaching a course in Intergovernmental Relations. He lives in Harlem with his family and is an active member of the community.

SOURCE FreshDirect